This invention relates generally to articles and methods of manufacturing woven baskets, and more particularly to a basket weaving form for use in contouring a spoked basket base.
Applicant is aware of the use of plugs or molds as an almost ancient technique for the hand fabrication of a woven spoked basket. Moving beyond the use of one's knee to form the domed central portion of the basket base, these ancient molds have been used in several forms; however, all are generally directed to a rigid three dimensional form which conforms with the interior surface of the to-be-fabricated basket whereby the mold acts as a male "plug" to be removed from the interior of a basket when complete.
Applicant is also aware of three basket making machines as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,933,879 to Thayer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,265,820 to Scanlan, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,016 to Hall, However, both the operational concept and components thereof, as well as the baskets themselves, are dissimilar to that of the present invention.
Applicant is further aware of several basket designs as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,311,086 to O'Loughlin, U.S. Pat. No. 763,580 to Walker, and U.S. Pat. No. 124,231 to Tower. However, none of these baskets even include a generally concave basket base which is facilitated by the present invention.
The present invention discloses a basket weaving form and method of manufacturing a spoked basket which has a generally dome-shaped central base portion formed initially of a spider web having a plurality of crossing and radially extending spokes. The invention provides a convenient means for both attaching and securing the spider web to the invention, as well as providing a virtually unlimited number of basket base contours into which the spider web may be woven into any desired basket base configuration accurately and consistently.